We couldn’t bring the classic film Gone With the Wind to the modern slot floor without the perfect graphic package. To help celebrate our first game under this iconic brand, we sat down with the game’s Lead Artist ClippetyClop for a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the art for the game.

How does a Lead Artist collaborate with the Game Designer to create the visual style of a game?

With the Designer in Vegas, and myself in Sydney [Australia], there were plenty of phone calls and emails where we would go over the smallest details – everything from the color of a certain object to the whole sequence of how a feature would play out. There is a big visual mishmash of both of our ideas in this game.

How long did you work on the game?

The art work ran from May through till November [2011], with a few final touches added since then.

How much of the game art is original work, and how much was re-purposed from the film?

There is a fair amount of both. Most symbols, frames, backgrounds and other icons and elements are all original art, which I tried to keep in theme with the movie itself as well as with the era in which it was set.

A few of these used references from the movie, such as the cologne bottle which Scarlett O’Hara uses as a breath freshener and the hat box with the green hat which is a gift from Rhett Butler, among others. The characters themselves were created using images captured from the movie and then edited and enhanced through Photoshop.

Are there any surprises in the game that players should keep an eye out for?

There are a few things that players could pick up on; in the Kissing Bonus; if you pick correctly, you’ll see one of several scenes where Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler kiss.

As they kiss, the credit meter bangs up, and when they stop, the credits stop. Occasionally, they will kiss again and more credits go onto the meter. It is a good mechanic and not only does it emphasize the romance between the two characters, but it builds up some anticipation on if they will kiss again to your benefit. In one possible scene, Rhett kisses Scarlett, and the credits bang up – but after they finish kissing, in true Scarlett O’Hara style, she hauls off and slaps Rhett. During this slap, an additional credit gets banged up to the win meter. We thought that extra addition would make a few of the more observant players smile.

The other thing you may notice is in the Locket Bonus: there were a number of extras from the movie that we couldn’t include in the game, so if you look carefully (and you know who you’re looking for) you can actually see that we’ve replaced characters from the movie with the faces of the slot game’s creators.

Were there any challenges specific to the art development for the Gone With the Wind slot?

The amount of time which we were given to complete this game was tighter than on previous projects, where we had not only more time but many more artists – for Gone With the Wind I did a large amount of the art work myself. There were also limitations in which characters we could use from the film, which in turn reduced the amount of footage we could re-purpose.

Do you have a favorite part about working on the Gone With the Wind slot game?

Being given the chance to work on something different was exciting. Many games out there have similar themes and I think that this game will definitely stand out from the crowd. I also grew up watching this movie and have read the book, so when I heard that Gone With the Wind was one of our upcoming games I immediately began hinting that I would love to work on this project.

What is your proudest contribution to the Gone With the Wind slot game?

I’m proud of the whole package – I really enjoyed working on this slot, and I hope that the players will enjoy what we’ve done with the theme when they see it on the casino floor.

The_Shamus

The 3x4x4x4x3 reel arrangement is a first for WMS ... so that is pretty exciting. The artwork, as always, is the best in business. Can't wait to hear the soundtrack and run a few dollars through this one! Something to look forward to this summer!

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\

rome123

I had such a great time when we went to the showroom; and I got to try out this new game. WMS does such great things with these themes!! can hardly wait to try it again when it gets to a casino! Thanks WMS for the opportunity to see and try these, and keep up the GREAT work!!

dwwright12

It's great to get a perspective from one of the art people. No disrespect to the others, but the art work on all of the WMS games is the best part for me. It cannot be matched by any other slot manufacturer. I, too, had the unique opportunity to visit the WMS facility in Vegas and take this game on a test run. The attention to detail is what blows me away. For example, has anyone ever noticed the detail in every border of the games and even some of the symbols. And the details are also present in the DVD games. I've posted here on this site before about the "little dust particles" that appear when the max bet/repeat bet button is clicked on the Reel'em In game that I have. THAT'S attention to detail. Thanks WMS!!

How were the names ShanyCane and ClippetyClop chosen??

DW

ClippetyClop

Thank you to everyone for the awesome compliments and feedback. It's always great to be given the chance to work on something you enjoy, and to hear all this positive feed back is amazingly incredible. I am super happy that everyone is enjoying the look of the game.

Dwwright12: haha, I was having trouble registering on this site, my username wasn't being accepted or something so I tried once more to see if it was my computer or the internet and when I put the random name of ClippetyClop in it accepted lol

brian49946

73bama

Zeusette

This art work is amazing. I agree with dwwright12, the art work on WMS games is pretty spectacular. I've noticed some games have symbols that use very similar colours (oops, colors) or have the same kind of box around them and I find it hard to distinguish among the symbols. I just love the ones you've designed here. I also really liked the images you shared that showed how the artwork changed from the original concept to the final product. Designer's Corner is one of my favourite parts of Player's Life. Thanks for sharing!

The_Shamus

Can you mention some of the previously released WMS titles you have worked on? Are there many (any) WMS games in Austrilia? Will you ever be able to play the game in a local casino (or are you stuck with Aristocrat games).

/\/\/\/\ the Shamus /\/\/\/\

ClippetyClop

Hi Shamus, Some other titles I have worked on that you might have seen would be Epic Monopoly, Colossal Reels - Spartacus Gladiator of Rome, Robin Hood and the golden arrow, Cirque du Masquerade, Wizard Spins and Golden Hammer (video version). I would love to be able to see my games on an actual casino floor but most likely wont have the chance, although we do have some local casinos which do have WMS games as well as other companies slot machines it is still very Aristocrat dominated
-CC

jhutch11

ShanyCane

I'm glad to see that so many of you have enjoyed the Q&A with ClippetyClop and the great artwork she's created for GONE WITH THE WIND (*jhutch11, coming to Vegas casinos this summer) - have you seen her artwork in action in the game's trailer?

By the way dwwright12 - ShanyCane is just an easy combo of my name and college. Wish there were a greater mystery!

kiloglobin

beetlecat

daddywowwow

I was skeptical of this game until I watched the video. A 40-cent game with a new layout, touches of Alice respin, and several other bonuses. I look forward to trying this at my local go-to. Is the a release date?

jbnaf

jarvel

Was excited. Played it. No longer excited. It is pretty, it has the bells and whistles others have described in the forum, so visually and technically it's great. When it comes down to money, it was very disappointing. There were not enough wins on the low end to keep me playing. Rarely will I get money back and unless I triggered a mini-bonus of some kind. I hoped for Lord of the Rings play ability and got Clue's game play. It's another feast or famine game that I predict will sit empty at the Casino the same way Clue did after the excitement of it's initial release wore off.

JustWill

sandiminor

I will be going to A.C. next week and am looking forward to playing this game, however, the problem I have with most penny or nickle slots is that you have to play twice as much as most quarter slots in order to have a shot at the progressive jackpot. Also, I can plat $.75 in a quarter slot machine and win 20 or more coins at a time. When I play most penny slots, however, I might play anywhere from $.50 to $1.00 and am lucky if I win $.15 back.
These games are beautiful to look at but cost more to play than the original styled three-reel slot machines. But I'll be a sucker for another two weeks. Here's hoping Gone With The Wind will bestow upon me a windfall or at least permit me to play long enough to enjoy my loss.